Augusta Cecconi-Bates

AUGUSTA CECCONI-BATES was born Aug. 9, 1933 in SyracuseNY. Coming from an opera-loving Italian home, she studied piano from age 6, (she was composing music even then) Augusta earned a B. A. (1956) and M.A. in Humanities (1960) from SyracuseUniversity.

After winning a composition contest in 1976, Augusta went on to studies at CornellUniversity with Robert Palmer and Karel Husa. In 1992 she was awarded an honorary doctorate from a conservatory in Italy.

Her work has garnered praise from Lukas Foss, who wrote, “she is a composer who knows what she is doing and does it well.” She has composed some 300 works, in genres ranging from opera and choral to orchestra and band.

Because of her compositions descriptive of the geographic area of New YorkState known as Tug Hill Plateau, Augusta was commissioned to compose ESSENCES OF THE NORTH COUNTRY for chamber orchestra, a work nominated for the Pulitzer in 2001.

WAR IS KIND, a two movement work for band with Soprano and Baritone vocal soloists. This work was commissioned by SUNY Oswego Band director, George Cuppernull and premiered in Oswego in 1981.

Subsequently this work was recorded in performance by CSWE under Maestro Byczek.

DINNER FOR THREE-a march for band was composed in 1998 and is dedicated to Vince and Josephine Suppan. Premiered at ACB by Maestro Wifler and Fond duLac Band in 2000.

ORCHESTRA

ESSENCES OF THE NORTH COUNTRY – Chamber orchestra. Premiere: Charles Schneider & members of the Utica Symph. CD available.

OPERA

MOLLY OF THE MOHAWKS –received its premiere in 2008 with Colby Thomas as Molly, Eric Johnson as William Johnson, and John Murphy as Joseph Brant with members of the Utica Symphony. Music Director and conductor was Charles Schneider – the CD is available.

CD’s of Cecconi-Bates’s works are available from the composer by accessing her website: www.cecconibates.homestead.com